The Bucks allowed 50 points in the 1st QTR, at home, completely healthy, to one of the league’s worst teams in the Charlotte Hornets. Milwaukee lost 138-109. That’s all you need to know about this NBA season so far.
Did a bunch of research this morning, exhausted, so here are my picks with little explanation. Sorry about that – gotta get the day going:
NBA:
Warriors 1H -3.5 (-110), to win 1.5 units
Magic/Warriors under 231.5 (-110), to win 1 unit
Warriors -6.5 (-110), to win 1.5 units
The return of Iguodala is a nice leadership spark for a Warriors team that’s starting to gain some steam. The Magic are a much better team this year but this is a tough spot against Golden State, off 3 days rest. Warriors defense has been great at home, Wiggins is back– time for the Warriors to roll from the jump.
CBB (3-4, -0.57 units):
Creighton +7 (-110), to win 1 unit
Creighton is a really good basketball team in good spots and in their conference, just not against unfamiliar teams. UCONN is familiar– I think they give them all they can handle.
Alabama -5.5 (-110), to win 1.5 units
Bama’s pace at home will be too much for Kentucky, who’s just not built with the same pedigree as they had in the past.
George Mason -5.5 (-110), to win 1.5 units
Loyola isn’t the same brand this year either and they’ve been really struggling in rebounding, one area that could kill them today. Mason’s ball movement is elite and I see them overwhelming the Ramblers at home.
Michigan/Michigan St. under 139.5 (-110), to win 1 unit
I love Kiev’s handicap at TheOddsBreakers in this game and I tend to agree; even more so between two big rivals. This will have a testy, raucous mid-season feel with a lot of defense.
Villanova -1.5 (-110), to win 1.5 units
Just the better team, at home, with more experience and pedigree, even though Xavier has been on a white-hot-run– this is the time for it to falter.
Green Bay +13 (-110), to win 1 unit
Cleveland State just isn’t used to being this heavy of a favorite, especially in-conference– they failed to cover on Nov 18th the last time they were this big of a favorite– last year Cleveland State got the better of them twice by margin, too. Significant motivation for the dog.
